Later this year, a team of cyclists will set off from Mombasa to ride just under 2,000km in 10 days through Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda, to raise funds for local renal patients.
The LifeCycle Changamoto Challenge 2026, which faces diverse terrains, adverse weather conditions, steep inclines and more en route, is the latest edition of the LifeCycle Challenge, organised annually by the LifeCycle Malta Foundation.
This year, the public can join their fundraising efforts through Zaar, Malta's crowdfunding platform. Zaar regularly works with local NGOs like LifeCycle Malta Foundation to help them raise funds with the help of the community. With the crowdfunding campaign now live and open until early October, every donation received towards the Foundation's funding goal of €55,000 will help make its wish list a reality for renal patients across the Maltese islands.
The Foundation's wish list includes €17,000 for the Lurto software, which manages the waiting list for organ transplants and the allocation of organs when a donor becomes available; €25,000 for the Foundation's research partnership with the University of Malta's Research Trust (RIDT), which expands research on kidney failure and its treatment, and €8,000 to cover the annual pilgrimage to Lourdes for renal patients and their nurses - a supportive community experience that boosts the well-being of all participants. A further €5,300 will buy a hand-held ultrasound convex scanner requested by the Renal Unit in April, which enables doctors to create images of organs.
As the only registered NGO in Malta and Gozo dedicated solely to supporting renal patients, the LifeCycle Malta Foundation has raised more than €4 million for kidney care since it was founded in 1999. Kidney failure is a debilitating condition that affects more people worldwide every year, tying patients to hours of dialysis several times a week while they wait for a transplant.
"Our cyclists raise funds through sponsors, family and friends, but the needs of Malta's renal patients grow every year," says a representative from the LifeCycle Malta Foundation. "Crowdfunding on Zaar lets everyone become part of the challenge. You don't need to cycle - a donation of any size carries us further down the road and helps us raise awareness, provide essential services, improve renal patient care and support ongoing research."
To follow the journey or support the challenge, visit the 2026 LifeCycle Challenge crowdfunding campaign at www.zaar.com.mt